this vseth our reverend English Father M. Nowell in his great Catechisme Nowell Catech. where commending and speaking of the Discipline of the Primitiue Church he saith But this Discipline since long time past by litle and litle decayed as the manners of men be corrupt and out of right course specially of the rich and men of power which will needs haue impunitie and most free libertie to sinne and doe wickedly But to returne to Ierome ye see wherevnto the superiority of Bishops was come even then and what fruite this corne of evill seed being then but newly sowed hath brought forth vnto this day a man may easily judge And this is the cause why Ierome so often as hath been before declared putteth the Bishops in remembrance that they are greater then other Elders or Ministers by custome and not by any truth of the Lords appoyntment and that they ought to rule in common But the Discipline liked them much better whereby they might haue free liberty to sinne and that no man might dare or be so bould to reproue them much lesse to punish them Yet Ierome in his Epistle to Nepotian is bould with the Lordship of Bishops saying Illud etiam dico quod Episcopi sacerdotes se esse noverint non dominos This also I say that Bishops should know that they be preists and not Lords And further he saith to Nepotian Negociatorem clericum et ex inope diuitem et ex ignobili gloriosum quasi quandam pestem fuge A man of the Clergy saith Ierome that is an occupier and that is become of a poore man a rich man and of a man of low degree to be a man of honorable estate flye from such a one as it were from a certaine pestilence And touchyng his owne estate he saith being then one of the most famous christian Pastors in the whole world and in many things greater better learned then Augustine Altaris oblatione sustentor habens victum et vestitum his contentus ero et crucem nudam nudus sequor I am susteined by the offring of the Altar and having food and rayment Epistlo 11. and being a naked fellow my self I follow the naked Crosse of Christ And in his Epistle to Augustine he saith Ego in paruo tuguriolo cum monachis id est cum compeccatoribus meis de magnis statuere non audeo I in my poore litle cottage saith he with certaine monks that is to say sinners dare not determine of high matters You see how far Ierom was from Lordly estate he lived not in a Princly Pallace but in a poore litle cottage Yet for the excellencie of his fame and learnyng inferior to none which then lived For proofe whereof and for the worthynes of the matter I will set downe one example though I shall make there in a litle digression Algasia a gentle woman of Fraunce dwelling at the least as far from Ierom as England from the Iles of Canarie hearing of his excellent learnyng and knowledg in Divinity sent purposely vnto him from the borders of the Ocean sea and the furthest part of all Fraunce and passing by Rome she sent unto him dwellyng at Bethleem to be resolved in divers poynts of the scripture Among which the Eleaventh question was how she should vnderstand the words of the Apostle speakeyng of Antichrist 2 Thes 2 ca. In answering which question Ierom saith Ad Algas q. 11 Nec vult aperte dicere Romanum inperium destruendum quod ipsi qui imperāt aeternam putant vnde secundum Apocalipsim Iohannis infronte purpuratae meretricis scriptum est nomen blasphemiae id est Romae aeternae Nether would the Apostle saith Ierom say in plaine termes that the Empire of Rome should be destroyed which they that raigne there thinke to be eternall where upon accordyng to the Revelation of S. Iohn in the forehead of the purple coulered whore there is written the name of blasphemie that is of Rome eternall A religious and right noble Lady In which discourse diuers things of speciall note are worthy to be observed As first the great zeale carefull diligence of that Noble gentlewoman seekyng so far to know and understand the scriptures O that our Ladyes and gentleweomen of England were so carefull to seeke after God that their soules might liue Secondly that she passed by Rome beyng right in the way to Bethleem with the proud Pope which boasteth himselfe to haue all knowledg within the coffer of his owne breast together withall his colledge of Carnalls and seeketh after Ierom the poore Minister of Bethleem Thirdly of how great fame poore Ierom was for his knowledg and learnyng in Divinity Fourthly that the name of Rome eternall is the name of blasphemie which is written upon the forehead of the purple coulered whore Now to returne againe to the state of the Church in Ieroms time leaving him to his poore cottage with his Monkes Hom. against peril of Idolatry part 2 let us see in what lordly estate Augustine liued and what his judgment is concernyng the same of whome it is written in the Homilie of our English Church that he was the best learned of all the Auncient Fathers And Possidonius testifieth of him Posid de vit Aug cap. 31. how excellent and dilligent a Preacher he was Verbum Dei usque ad ipsam suam extermam aegritudinam impraetermisse alacriter et fortiter sana mente sanoque consilio in ecclesia praedicavit He preached the word of God in the Church saith Possidonius without pretermission with sound mind and advised judgment even vnto the time of his extreame sicknes Where marke the word impraetermisse without pretermission how far the Lord Bishops are from this dilligence in our dayes Now touchyng this matter Augustine saith lib de Pastor cap ◠Vnde enim vivitur c. It is of nessitie saith he to take so much as the Pastor may be able to liue on and charitie requyreth so to be given unto him not as though the gospell were a thing to be sould and that should be the price thereof which they take that preach it for so they should indeed sell a great thing for a smale price but they ought to take of the people the sustentation of their necessitie and of the Lord a reward of their stewardship But let us heare what Augustine and all the Bishops of that parte of the world with him not onely say but also in full assemblie decree in the third Counsell of Carthage And first touchyng their titles Canon 26. Carth Coun 3. Vt primae sedis Episcopus c. We decre say they that the Bishop of the first seate shall not be called the cheife preist or hie preist or any such manner of thing but onely he shal be called Bishop of the first seate And marke that they say nor any such manner of thing And also these words but onely by which two wordes they clearly
A DISCOVRSE OF THE ABVSES NOVV IN QVESTION IN THE CHVRCHES OF CHRIST OF THEIR CREEPING IN GROwing vp and flowrishing in the Babilonish Church of Rome how they are spoken against not only by the scriptures but also by the ancient Fathers as long as there remayned any face of a true Church maintained by publique authority And likewise by the lights of the Gospell and blessed Martyrs of late in the middest of the Antichristian darknes By Thomas Whetenhall Esquier Pro. 24.24.25 He that saith to the wicked thou art righteous him shall the the people curse and the multitude shall abhorre him But to thē that rebuke him shal be pleasure and vpon them shall come the blessing of goodnes Imprinted 1606. THE PRINTER TO THE CHRISTIAN READER CHristian Reader it is well knowne to all men how odiously the adversaries of the Churches reformation in England do accuse and defame the seekers of the said reformation with Noueltie Singularity Schisme Error and with many other such like most foull crimes The iniquity and vntruth whereof will through Gods blessing well appeare to euery one that shall read and pervse this present most profitable Discourse following Wherein two maine and principall matters to witt The Inventions and Traditions of men in Church affayres and the overreaching Clergy beyond the condition of ordinay Pastors wherevnto all the particulars now in controuersie are easily reduced are observed in all ages and times since the Apostles to haue ben held by some godly persons and faithfull Witnesses of the truth to haue ben hainous transgressiōs against the ordinances of Christ in his New Testament So that heerby men may see that it is noe new thing that the servants of Christ and the louers of his ordinances should striue now against these Corruptions For if this be Schismaticall now I say to striue against these Corruptions then surely all the holy Martyrs and pillars of the Gospell in all ages past but chifly since the discovery of Antichrist were Schismatiks For they then travayled laboured as by this Discourse we may see in one and the same cause wherin now the true seruants of Christ doe also labor But if in former times those were faithfull men the true louers of the Gospell of Christ who hated all mens Additions in matters of the Church then doubtles soe are these now and it will be manifest to all good men that they are wrongefully traduced and accused in such wise as is before mentioned To which end and purpose this ancient Christian Gentlman hath worthily observed gathered and giuen out to the world as his last service to God to his people these testimonies of sundry old and new writers The which comming vnto my hands I could not in loue to thee good Reader but communicate the same vnto thee The rather considering how many thinges dayly are spoken written to the contrary by the adversaryes to dazell the eyes of Gods people in these causes The Lord Iesus inlighten the minds of all his true Children in all his wayes who only is the way the truth and the life and grant us his peace Amen A TABLE OF THE PRINCIPALL MATter 's contained in this Discourse False Accusations against the seekers of Reformation 166 The Apparel of Ministers did not differ from the apparell of other men pag 70 129 130 164 Neither ought it to differ 163 164 170 171 175 176 Audianus was no Herjtike though his successors were pag 6 B The ordinary name of Bishop is common to all Ministers in the New Testament pag 13. 14. 15 16 Bishops chosen in and proceeding from the Court are the cause of al corruption pag 123. Ordinatiō made by a Lord Bishop is void pag 127 128 131 132 The like Excommunication is no better pag 77. 78 C The Ceremonies in question are vnlawfull for vs pag 85. 86. 87. 98 113. 114. 149. 150. 172. 173 When how Ceremonies of mans invention were first brought into Gods worship pag 33 Civill rule in pastors is vnlawfull and contrary to Gods word in the New Testament pag 58 90 91 92. 95. 96. 97. 98 107. 108. 110. 122. 125. 126. 136. 137 143 151 152. 159. 161. 174. 175. 180. Corruption in the Churches tooke place immediately after the Apostles pag 4 The time of the highest Ecclesiasticall corruption tyranny p. 56. 57 What a visible Church is pag 76. 77. 140. 141. 142. Churches are all equall in power jurisdiction spirituall rights pag 2. 3. One Pastor cannot be but to one Church See Pluralities Church government belongeth wholly and only to each Church By no meāes to any one man either within or without the same pag 70 89 124 The Churches government ought to depend only on Gods word pag 69 99 108 109. The signe of the Crosse pag 130. Custom without Gods word is pernicious pag 106. D Discipline in our Churches is necessarie to be restored p. 108. 109 The folly of them who now think orherwise pag 80. 81 87 88. 90. It is necessarie to salvation ibidē E False Ecclesiastikes pag 92. An Eldership pag 94 95 97. 118. 124 130 131. Election of Ministers ought to be by that Churches free consent to which they belong pag 71. 72 73. 74. 75. 98. 107 108 109 118. 123. 127 128 131 132 138 173. Election of Ministers by the free liking of every Church is a thing easy and no way inconuenient in a civill Monarchie p. 74. 94. 100. Excommunication is in each Churches power in none other touching any member therein pa. 77 78 89 90 94 128 130. 150 151 Church Government see before in Church and Discipline I Questions to the Infants in their Baptizing are vaine pa 101 102 130. K Kneeling in receaving the Communion ought to be reformed pag 149 150. M Maintenance ought to be reasonable and liberall for a Minister Yet not superfluous 21 c. 42 54 59 117 121 122 133 135 143 178. VVhat a reasonable Maintenance may be pag 21 132 135 Ministers of mans Institution are unlawfull pag 61 62 94 98 99. Mingling of mens inventions in Gods worship is very pernitious pag 103. 104 105 106 111 113 114 120 124 125 129 147 148 150 167 168 175 184 187 188. 189. N Non residents very wicked pag 146. 152 160. 168. 169. 172. 174. O The Oath ex Officio vnjust and tyrannous pag 138 139. 140. P The name Papa Pope was aunciently common to all Bishops pag 17 18. 19. Pastors are all equall pag 109 112. see Superioritie in Pastors Churches are all equall Ignorant Pastors and bare Substitutes a deadly evill pa. 92. 93. 118 138 145 152 169. 170. Paulus Samosatenus a stately Prelat like those of our times pa. 7. 8 The first beginning of true reformation ought to be in reforming the Prelats pag 83 137 152. No amendment to be expected from the Prelats pag 82 Pluralities damnable pa 123. 129. 138 152. 156 157 160. 168. 169 172. Pompe and riches in the
Moreover I counsell you that in any wise ye bring in Discipline into your Churches so soone as possible ye can for if it be not receaved at the beginnyng when men are very desirous of the Gospell it will not soone be admitted afterward when as it hapneth some coldnes shall creepe in And how vainly you shall labour with out it very many Churches may be an example unto you who since they would not at their very first reformation take upon them this healthfull yoke could never afterward as touching manners and life be brought into order by any iust rule whereof it happeneth which I speake with greife that all things in a manner haue small assurance and and doe threaten ruine on every side Therefore it is a greivous loss and a certayne destruction of Churches to want the strenght of Discipline Neither can it be truely and soundly sayd that they haue and do professe the Gospell which either be without Discipline or do contemne it or be not delighted therwith Certainly since in the Evangelists and in the Apostolike Epistles it is taught with so great diligence it must be confessed not to be the least part of Christian religion Whereby it commeth to passe that the Gospell seemes to be despised of them which haue banished froÌ„ themselues so notable a portion thereof But under what devise or couller it is reiected at this day in many places is worth the hearing They say that there is a danger least under the colour of Discipline the Ministers of the Church should take upon them tyrannie should correct reproue and excommunicate for no iust causes but at their owne pleasure c. Neither do these good men perceiue that there needeth not be any feare of the Ministers where the rule of the Gospell as touching brotherly correction is observed For this charge is not to be committed to the authority and will of one man but in the shutting out from brotherly societie them which will not be amended a consent of the Church must be had by whose authority if it be don no man can iustly coÌ„playne of the tyrannie of one or of a few Marke how this Divine lecturer which hath so good testimonie of his sincere judgment great modestie and mildnes and of incomparable learnyng would haue the Discipline receaved wheresoever any reformation of religion is made and saith plainly it is a great part of christiaÌ„ religion and a notable portion of the Gospell and that they which refuse or reject it may be counted enimyes and not lovers of the Gospell And that the charge of excommunication is not to be committed to one man or to a few but to the whole Church And as for the rites and Ceremonyes and administration of the Sacraments he setteth downe these three caveats to be observed in the using of them First that they be most plaine and simple Secondly that they be most removed from the superstitious trifles of the Papists Thirdly that the manner of using them come nearest to the purenes that Christ and his Apostles used Certainly if M. Martyr were now in Oxford and with all his sinceritie and modesty and learning should mayntaine this most playnenes in the MinistratioÌ„ most furdest removed from Popish Ceremonyes and trifles and cry out for the purenes that Christ and his Apostles used he should be turned out for a wrangler or a Puritane if he had no more hurt But let us heere what M. Martyr saith further upon these poynts In his Common places speaking of the goverment of the Church he saith If thou respect Christ it shall be called a Monarchie part 4 cha 5 sect 9 Com. in 1. Cor. 5 13. For he is our King who with his owne bloud hath purchased the Church unto himselfe He is now gone into heaven yet doth he governe this Kingdom of his indeed not with visible presence but by the spirit and word of the holy scriptures And there be in the Church which doe execute the office for him Bishops Elders Doctors and others bearing rule in respect of whom it may be iustly called a goverment of many c. But because in the Church there be matters of very great waight and importance referred unto the people as it appeareth in the Acts of the Apostles therfore it hath a consideration of publicke goverment But of the most waight are accounted excommunication absolution choosing of Ministers and such like so as it is concluded that no man can be excommunicated with out the consent of the Church And a non after he saith Cyprian writteth unto Cornelius the Bishop of Rome that he laboured much with the people that they which are fallen might haue pardon Which if it might haue been given by himselfe there had been no need that he should so greatly haue travelled in perswading of the people And Augustin against the Donatists sheweth the same when he saith we must then cease to excommunicate if the whole people shall be infected with one and the selfe same vice For it will not sayth he consent to excommunication but will defend and mainteine him whom thou shalt excommunicate Wherefore this right perteineth to the Church neither ought to be taken from the same against which opinion they cheifely are which would haue the same to be committed to one Bishop or Pope And in the 5 section a litle before he giveth this definition of excommunication Excommunicatio est c Excommunication is the casting out of a notorious wicked man from the fellowship of the faithfull by the iudgment of them that be cheife and the whole Church consenting by the authoritie of Christ and rule of the holy scriptures to the salvation of him that is cast out and of the people of God And after he had confirmed the same by divers places of scripture he sayth Seeing it is the Gospell of Christ as touching all the parts it ought to be receaved of the Church and credit every wher to be given unto it So as they are to be wondred at which would professe the Gospell and yet do exclude this particle And touching the magnificence of Bishops and their stately using of Civill affaires In the same part and 20 chapter Section 16 he sayth But why in times past in the old testament were both Principalitie and Priesthood ioyned together This may be declared the cause Namely that in those persons Christ was shadowed â—n 2 Kings 11 initio to whom was due both the true Priesthood Soveraigne Kingdom But after his commyng upon the earth we haue no other Priest but himselfe our onely mediator and redemer Vndoubtedly those Ministers of the Church which are instituted by him are appoynted to preach the Gospell of the sonne of God and to administer the Sacraments wherefore it is meete they should abstayne from outward principalitie administration of civill affaires Since they haue ben so instructed by Christ For he saide unto his Apostles The Princes of the Nations haue dominion over them